So globally, allergies are a big problem and sadly, a lot of people can't even escape allergies in their own home. Even if you are somebody who manages to cope throughout spring and summer by taking an antihistamine and ignoring the sniffles as best you can, allergies are still something most of us would love to avoid, especially in the safety of our own home.

Outdoors you are of course exposed to things like tree pollen and grass pollen and there isn't much you can do about that but avoid places with high pollen counts and take an anti-allergy tablet before going out. But indoors there is something you can do, there's a lot you can do actually to reduce the amount of allergens within your home, and coming into your home, giving you and your family the best possible chance of staying symptom free when you're behind closed doors.

Here are 6 easy ways to allergy-proof your home…

1. Go Cork

Cork is one of the trendiest new flooring materials around, and not just because it is so beautiful. It is entirely natural, and there is nothing man-made that can replace it. It is extremely eco-friendly as it comes from the bark of a tree that is unaffected by the harvesting of the cork, and which grows it back again within the next decade. It reduces noise, is naturally fire resistant, is durable and hardwearing. In terms of being anti-allergy it is the best material you can use because it is non-porous and it contains Suberin which works against the growth of mould, bacteria and mildew.

2. Close The Windows

Keeping the windows closed will stop the free-flow of allergens coming into your home. Opt instead for units like extractor fans or anti-condensation systems which bring airflow through your home but without bringing the allergens in with them. If you can't avoid keeping the back doors open in summer because of the kids coming in and out of the garden, then consider investing in internal bifold doors which will enable you to shut the rest of the house off from that room, so at least you're keeping some of the allergens out.

3. Invest In A Good Hoover

According to recent studies, house dust mites are a major contributing factor to chronic allergies. You don't have to get rid of your carpets to deal with this issue, instead just opt for a really great hige grade hoover. The kind of hoover that is designed to get the majority of debris and dust out of the carpet fibres. You may want to change your flooring to tiles with underfloor heating, but, if you can't afford to or don't want to sacrifice your carpets then a good quality hoover really is a good solution.

4. Reduce Pet Fluff

Fur from animals is an allergen, and even if you don't get a strong reaction it will contribute to the dust and overall air quality of the home. Pets will shed hair every day because of natural processes, but they will also shed during the warmer months. Some shed a lot during the warmer months and it can seem like they are constantly dropping fur everywhere. There are numerous things you can do about reducing pet dander:-

If you don't already have a pet and are getting one, opt for a low-shedding breed such as a Labradoodle, Affenpinscher, Australian terrier or border terrier.

Get your pets professionally groomed regularly so they can be shaved and clipped.

Groom pets yourself regularly, every day if needed, using the correct grooming tools.

Don't allow pets upstairs

5. Prevent Mould & Mildew

If you are already sensitive with allergens then mould and mildew won't help your situation. Mould is also really bad for anybody breathing in its spores so, you should try to avoid it regardless. BHG (British Home & Gardens) have a great article on preventing it in the home, which requires a lot of awareness and effort, but it is worth it to protect both your health and your home.

6. Wash Your Sheets & Towels

Dust mites love to live in your towels and bedding as they feed off skin cells, and with the average human shedding 0.03 and 0.09 grams of skin cells every hour according to research, that's a lot of food they get from our bedding and towels alone. The way to avoid this is to wash your sheets, bedding and towels regularly, weekly ideally especially if you are in a couple.

Allergies really are no fun, but there are plenty of easy ways to reduce them within your own home. Spend a weekend making these simple adjustments and you'll hopefully reduce that sniffling in no time.